Tag Archives: closing

Business/Economics

ebay shutting down after Xmas?

11 December 2014 (15:17 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Safar 1436/20 Azar 1393/20 Bing-Zi 4712

“There will be changes; there will be significant changes.”-Devin Wenig, current ebay president

Reports that iconic internet selling venue ebay is killing off 3-thousand jobs beginning right after xmas!

(by the way, the new ‘official’ corporate way to spell ebay is all lower case)

ebay Administrators say it’s part of their plan to spinoff PayPal as a separate company.  But could it be the fact that sales have been crashing?  When sibling companies are spunoff it’s a sign that at least one of them is in trouble (like Lands’ End from Sears).

ebay administrators admitted that their sales-auctions are so low that they account for less than a third of the money transactions on PayPal!   There are also rumors that once PayPal is spunoff from ebay that ebay will be carved up and sold off.

ebay has already laid off dozens of employees with its Magento software unit, and 100 people were let go at ebay’s StubHub ticket seller.  In 2012, PayPal laid off more than 300 employees!

ebay is so desperate they are now working with traditional brick-n-mortar stores as a clearing house operation.

Toy R Us shutting down after Xmas?

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 26 – 30 September 2014: More Kmart shutdowns! No more Payless? More coal mine shutdowns! Obama regime grounds Air National Guard?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

More proof the internet is not killing brick-n-mortar stores: Online gaming company Nerd Kingdom laid off an undisclosed number of employees (some reports called it “massive”) and jacked up the cost of playing their video games.

California:  Allergan warned that Obama Care is forcing them to kill off 545 specialized healthcare employees in November, and shutdown one of their healthcare operations in Goleta!  In Palm Springs, Obama Care forcing Crothall Healthcare to shutdown in November, 91 jobs lost.  Iconic Technicolor is warning employees of layoffs.  Reports say the layoffs will be less than 50, when they happen.  In Bakersfield, after 59 years family run Skateland roller rink shutdown.  The owners said their adult children don’t believe the economy is good enough to take over the family business.  What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of car batteries Exide Technologies warned it will kill off 61 jobs at their Los Angeles ops in October.  The battery maker and recycler is also under federal investigation for emissions violations.  In Fullerton, MBM Foodservice warned it will shutdown in December, 76 jobs lost.  In Twentynine Palms, taxsucking Alaska based Tatitlek warned it layoff 125 people in November!  In Rancho Cucamonga, Super Glue/Pacer Technology warned they will layoff 65 people in November.

Connecticut: Electronics retailer Best Buy revealed they’re shutting down their Westfield Meriden Mall store at the beginning of November, 60 jobs lost.

Florida:  Obama Care forces University of Florida Health to sell off its Medicaid focused First Coast Advantage healthcare operations.  At least 63 healthcare jobs lost in November.

Georgia: Artificial sweetener maker NutraSweet finally killed off their Augusta factory, 200 jobs lost: “Low cost imports now dominate the aspartame market, making it impossible for us to sustain a profitable business while maintaining our unmatched standard of quality.”-William DeFer, ceo

Illinois: In Palos Hills, after 77 years family owned Riley’s Trick Shop joke store shutdown.  The heirs decided that the economy was so bad it wasn’t worth it to take over from their parents.

Iowa: In Williamsburg, agricultural machinery manufacturer Kinze laid off 21 employees.  Company administrators blame declining sales  to the farming industry.  In Ames, Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Kmart in December, at least 44 jobs lost.

Kansas: Payless ShoeSource killed more jobs at their Topeka HQ, this time company administrators refused to give a number.  In 2013 Payless eliminated more than 100 jobs.  Payless has been in trouble ever since it took over Stride Rite in 2007.  Payless has been operating under the name of Collective Brands since then, but in 2012 Collective Brands was taken over by vulture capitalists Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital, who have been carving Collective Brands up and selling it off piece by piece.   And the federal government causing the Kansas Air National Guard to kill off 210 part time and full time jobs!  The 127th Command and Control Squadron and the 184th Munitions Squadron were eliminated, and the 177th Information Aggressor Squadron will suffer cuts.

Massachusetts:  California based CISCO revealed how many people will become unemployed at their Boxborough operation; at least 182!  After just eight months The Rug Department store shutdown one of its two stores.  The bankrupt owners are selling it off.

Michigan: More proof there is no automotive industry recovery; Detroit based auto parts supplier Bridgewater Interiors announced it is killing off 249 jobs in December!  Company administrators blame it on the ending of contracts with the big new car makers.  What housing market recovery?  Building products maker Masco (not to be confused with the medical association of the same name) announced it will kill off 160 HQ jobs!  In 2000 Masco had 600 HQ employees, but at the time of this latest job killing announcement they were down to 400 employees.  In Saginaw, after nearly 40 years the Ponderosa Steakhouse shutdown without notice, or reason given.

Minnesota: In Apple Valley, the administrators of the Minnesota Zoo admitted they’re losing their financial ass, due to crashing visitation, and as such will layoff an undisclosed number of employees.  The zoo is already under a hiring freeze.

Mississippi: Iconic musical instrument and amplifier maker Peavy Electronics warned it must “downsize” it’s Meridian factory, about 100 jobs lost!

New Jersey:  In Randolph, Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Kmart in December, 90 jobs lost.

New York: In Buffalo, Fenner Precision warned they will shutdown their polyurethane factory in December, 60 jobs lost.  In Amherst, Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples warned it will shutdown by February 2015.  In NYC, GSM Retail store warned it will shutdown after Xmas, 79 jobs lost.  Maritime restaurant and hotel manager warned it will shutdown in January 2015, at least 153 jobs lost!  They lost their contract to run a hotel.

Ohio:  What housing market recovery? Assurant, which is mainly a health insurance company, warned it is killing off 75 Specialty Property jobs in Springfield.  The Assurant Special Property unit deals with mortgages, and apparently the job losses are the result of Assurant losing a client.  In Chillicothe, Horizon Telecom announced the layoff of 21 employees.  Company administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to “restructure”.   Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown Kmarts in Fairborn and Springfield, 131 jobs lost!

Oklahoma: Texas based oil exploration company HighMount Exploration and Production warned it will shutdown its Oklahoma City office in November, 97 jobs lost (on top of the 11 laid off during the summer).

South Carolina:  In Greenwood, Texas based Mundy Maintenance announced it will layoff 136 people in October!  Company administrators say they lost a major contract.

Tennessee:  God can’t stop pro-insurance industry Obama Care from forcing Baptist Memorial Health Care from killing 112 healthcare related jobs!  The Memphis based hospital system runs 14 hospitals in several states.   Administrators reported that as of June 2014 Obama Care caused them to lose $124-million USD!

West Virginia: Alpha Natural Resources confirmed it shutdown two coal mines; Independence Coal’s Twilight (Progress) mine and Pioneer Fuels’ Ewing Fork (Pax) mine, 193 jobs lost!   According to WARN filings as many as 11-hundred people at 11 mines are under threat of becoming unemployed!

Wisconsin: In Green Bay, The Urban Frog restaurant warned it might shutdown, due to the death of the owner.

24-25 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 24 – 25 September 2014: Massive Kmart shutdowns! No more PetsMart? Obamacare forces retired Christians into Jewish nursing homes?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Becker’s Hospital Review revealed that by the end of 2013 eighteen U.S. hospitals shutdown as a direct result of problems caused by the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care).

Arizona: PetsMart administrators laid off 176 people from its Phoenix HQ!  News reports say the layoffs were the result of pressure from greedy A-hole investors!

California:  San Jose based Adobe Systems announced it is shutting down its research & development ops in China, 300 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame the government of China.  International skateboarding shop FTC shutdown its Sacramento store.  Apparently sales couldn’t cover the costs to operate their nine years old Sacramento store.  In Irvine, Astronics Test Systems warned it will layoff 53 employees in November.  In Covina, Sears Holdings warned it will shutdown Kmart 4281 in November, 92 jobs lost.  In San Leandro, Sears Holdings warned it will shutdown Kmart 3276 in November, 102 jobs lost!  In Redding, Tri Counties Bank warned it will layoff 74 people in October.

Florida: In Tampa, a company that was supposed to be promoting the International Indian Film Academy, Go Bollywood, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The events promoter has only $50-thousand USD to its name, but is at least $50-million in debt! In Lake Mary, Digital Risk killed off 33 finance and insurance jobs. It’s part of the “Risk, Compliance and Transaction Management Solutions” company’s plans to kill off a total of 745 jobs in 2014!  In Saint Petersburg, Obama Care forcing the nearly 40 years old Edward White Hospital to shutdown in November, 363 jobs affected!  Hospital administrators blame the federal government for slashing funding, and pro-insurance industry Obama Care for causing a drop in customers.

Illinois:  In Alton, a Dairy Queen shutdown. The franchise owners said sales were so bad it wasn’t worth it to renew their franchise license.

Indiana:  Sears Holdings double punches The Hoosier State as it announced the shutdown of two Kmart stores; one in Fort Wayne and one in Decatur.  At least 118 people will become unemployed in December!

Maine: 110+ years old (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Great Northern Paper (GNP) now chapter 7 bankrupt busted, after shutting down operations.  Chapter 7 usually means the company is officially dead.  Company administrators tried to catch the interest of new investors, but apparently nobody wants to invest in paper making companies.

Maryland: In Hagerstown, Sheetz Fresh Food Made to Order shutdown.

Massachusetts: In Leominster, Obama Care forced HealthAlliance Hospital to kill off 18 jobs.  Crashing patient referrals caused by Obama Care, and a referring hospital, forced Radius Specialty Hospital to warn that it must shutdown two rehabilitation facilities, 350 healthcare jobs lost!

Michigan: Sears Holdings announced the killing of 610 jobs in December, as they shutdown five Kmart stores (Burton, Flint, Madison Heights, Port Huron and Rochester)!

Nevada: In Sparks, space tech company Sierra Nevada laid off 100 employees “As a result of not being selected by NASA, SNC needed to conduct a limited staff reduction of our Dream Chaser team of the personnel that have come on board in anticipation of the growth a win would have provided.”

New Jersey: Drug pusher Regado Biosciences laid off 20 employees, due to the failure of its latest anticoagulant.  Due to the massive loss of tax revenues from four huge casinos that shutdown (about ten thousand people laid off as a result!) Atlantic City warned of massive layoffs itself.  City administrators say they must demand unionized workers take a huge reduction in pay, as well.  Standard & Poor’s downgraded Atlantic City’s credit rating to BBB-plus.

New Mexico: Sears Holdings announced the Rio Rancho Kmart will be shutdown in December (59 jobs lost), leaving only one Kmart store in the city of  Albuquerque, which once had three Kmart stores.

New York: In Binghamton, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi warned it will shutdown their bottling factory in November, 74 jobs lost.  In the same city dairy distributor HP Hood also warned they will shutdown in November, 32 jobs lost.  In Wolcott, Electromark-Brady Corporation warned it will shutdown by December, 84 jobs lost.  God refuses to stop Obama Care(?) from shutting down the Convent of Mary the Queen nursing home.  Christian leaders say they will shut it down by June 2015 (healthcare layoffs will begin in December), and shift many of the residents to a Jewish nursing home.

North Carolina: In Gastonia, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Christian bookstore Mary’s Garden Catholic Books and Gifts.  The owners said sales crashed in 2008, and never recovered.  They take it as a sign from God, to get out while the gettin’s good.

Ohio:  United Airlines killing 100 more jobs!  This time at Port Columbus International airport.  The unionized jobs are being replaced with cheap-ass contract workers.  News reports say the contract workers will be paid just barely more than minimum wage, and probably at part time with no benefits (thank you Obama Care!).

South Carolina: In Mrytle Beach, the North Kings Highway Kmart shutting down in December, 59 jobs lost.

Tennessee:  In Dickson, Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Kmart in November, 65 jobs lost.

Washington:  One Reel announced that revenues from this year’s music and arts festival were so bad that “In an ongoing effort to adapt to ever-changing circumstances and evolve Bumbershoot to best serve Seattle, One Reel is temporarily reducing its staff to core personnel for Q4.”

Wisconsin: The Janesville Kmart being shutdown in December, 70 jobs lost.

21-23 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

 

Business/Economics

Aeropostale closing 250 clothing stores just in time for the New Year! Shutdowns will continue until profits improve!

05 December 2014 (12:10 UTC-07 Tango)/12 Safar 1436/14 Azar 1393/15 Bing-Zi 4712

Trendy rich teenager’s clothing store Aéropostale has just upped the ante on their 2014 store shutdown list, bringing the total to 250!

Back in April 2014, administrators with Aéropostale announced they would shutdown about 125 of their P.S. from Aéropostale children’s clothing stores across North America.  Administrators also said they were closing 50 of their regular Aéropostale stores.  But now it’s been revealed that another 75 stores will be shuttered between now and the end of January 2015.  More than 300 store and corporate office jobs lost!

On top of that, Aéropostale said they will continue shutting down stores throughout 2015!   The clothing retailer said it lost $52-million USD during its 3rd quarter 2014, and said it expects even bigger losses during the traditional holiday shopping season!

Which stores are being closed?  Two clues are that during this holiday shopping season any store that’s slated for shutdown will not be offering the usual end of year discounts, and their inventory will not be restocked.

restaurant chain bleeding stores & jobs

JCPenney closing more stores than first announced!

No more Wendy’s, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Hormel or Dinty Moore? 

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 04 December 2014: Massive shutdown coming? Happy New Year!

“Year-to-date, we closed, or announced for closure, approximately 235 underperforming stores, the majority of which are Kmart stores….

….Revenues decreased approximately $1.1 billion to $7.2 billion for the quarter ended November 1, 2014, as compared to revenues of $8.3 billion for the quarter ended November 2, 2013….

….we do not have commitments from lenders…

…our business…may be subject to disruptions or security breaches…

….difficult to forecast with certainty; our dependence on sources outside the United States for significant amounts of our merchandise; our reliance on third parties to provide us with services in connection with the administration of certain aspects of our business….”-Sears Holdings, 04 December 2014

being paid to shutdown stores!

update 22 November 2014

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost).

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost),
Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart on Gratiot will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January, Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), recently revealed Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 21 – 23 September 2014: “…It is clear that the situation…is only going to get worse…” Off-shoring of U.S. jobs continues! No more eggs? U.S. company behind dirty meat sales to McDonald’s & KFC! Obamacare blamed for killing off County healthcare system?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  Taxsucker CISCO Systems announced massive layoffs planned for October, 1-thousand and five people to become unemployed!  Taxsucker Boeing warned of 318 layoffs in November!  After only five months Freedom Communications ceased publication of the Los Angeles Register, at least 20 jobs lost.  Apparently the economy is so bad in the LA area that Freedom Communications is shifting focus to Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.  In Paso Robels, after only one year the Elan Vital Furniture & Design store shutdown.  The pissed off owners blamed the bad economy saying “Unfortunately, praise and encouragement do not keep stores open. Consumers in the greater California, have been holding on tight to their money in regards to purchasing design and furnishings.”  In Menlo Park, Office Max announced they will shutdown in November, 74 jobs lost.  Egg supplier Moark announced they are ending operations in several cities by November, 187 jobs lost and the price of eggs will continue going up!  In Edwards, Nevada based taxsucker “Mission Critical Solutions” Arcata Associates announced they will kill off 101 jobs in October!  In Riverbank, Silgan Containers killing off more jobs, this time they announced that 178 people will become unemployed in November!

Florida:  In Tampa, after 27 years Features Costumes shutdown.  In Lake Worth, after 30 years the owner of Video Shop Super Store announced his store will shutdown in October.  News reports say the owner tried everything to compete with internet video services, but couldn’t do what they could; “…the option to get a video with the press of a button.”

Illinois: In Geneva, after 35 years the owners of the ‘health’ food store Soup to Nuts announced they will shutdown in October.  Aurora based OSI Group killed 340 jobs in China!  OSI Group owns the Chinese fast food chicken meat supplier who sold to McDonald’s, KFC and other U.S. fast food ops in China.  The U.S. owned Chinese company was revealed to be selling chicken meat that was dropped on floors, and even meat past its expiration date.  At least six people have been arrested, so far.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, the owner of all three Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza joints announced they will shutdown in November! Local news reports say employees blamed the lack of sales. Also in Fort Wayne, after more than 50 years iconic Atz’s Ice Cream Shoppes shutdown without notice! Local news reports say the family business took an economic nosedive three years ago, when they were forced to shutdown their Kendallville ice cream factory. County tax assessors say the family now owes several thousands of dollars in property taxes.

Kentucky: In the Nulu district of Louisville, Taco Punk shutdown. The owners blame road construction which “decisively cut off easy access for downtown workers to NuLu during the crucial lunch hours. … It is clear that the situation in NuLu is only going to get worse…”

Louisiana: In West Monroe, operators of the Trenton Street Golf Course announced it will shutdown in December.  They were unable to renew the lease.

Minnesota: After 80 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Hardware Hank shutdown.  The owners would only say that the property had been sold off.

Nebraska:  In North Platte, after five years Margie’s Bar and Grill shutdown.

Nevada: In Reno, after 27 years Scolari’s Food & Drug Company announced it will shutdown in October, 48 jobs lost. Company administrators said the bad economy was forcing them to “streamline” ops.

New York: The Newspaper Guild is accusing magazine publisher  Time of planning to off-shore 160 jobs!  Administrators with Time admitted to the plan in a statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying “…to drive operational efficiencies, including through global sourcing of staff.”

North Carolina: California based CISCO Systems announced it is killing off jobs at its Research Triangle Park, but refused to say how many people will become unemployed.

Ohio:  What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of rubberized automotive parts YUSA Corporation announced they are ‘off-shoring’ at least 130 U.S. jobs to Mexico (yes, I know Mexico is not ‘off shore’ but the phrase means moving jobs out of the U.S.).  The loss of the U.S. jobs will take place in 2015.

Oregon: In Eugene, the owner of Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life announced it will shutdown in October.  The owner blamed a variety of reasons, especially crime, for not renewing the lease.

Tennessee:  In Chattanooga, Ferrara Candy announced they are selling off their factory, 95 jobs affected. They already killed 100 jobs prior to the announcement! At one point the factory employed 450 people, back when it was owned by Farley’s & Sathers.  The Commercial Appeal newspaper, and other newspapers, are being sold off.  At least 17 Commercial Appeal employees now unemployed.

Washington: King County announced their plans to kill 500 taxpayer funded healthcare positions!  Obama Care is being partially blamed for the county healthcare system losing at least $8.9-million USD by the end of 2014!  Administrators estimate that pro-insurance industry Obama Care will put them in a $29-million hole by the end of 2016!

18-20 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 18 – 20 September 2014: “the battle I’ve been losing for three years”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Petaluma, Massachusetts based Brooks Automation announced they will cease operations and render 85 people unemployed in October.  Local news reports said the shutdown was discovered after Brooks Automation held a job fair for the employees who are about to become unemployed.  Cereal maker General Mills announced they will shutdown their 67 years old Lodi factory by the end of 2015, 430 jobs lost! Administrators blame crashing cereal sales.  In Poway, the Sierra Nevada Corporation warned it will shutdown in November, 33 jobs lost.  At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Envoy Air (formerly known as MQ) warned it is killing 107 jobs in November, due to American Airlines drastically cutting back regional flights.  In Livermore, Western/Induspac Packaging warned it is shutting down in November, 46 jobs lost.  In Fremont, Obama Care killed 31 jobs at Washington Hospital, that’s on top of the already 196 jobs destroyed since 2013!  Hospital administrators directly blamed the federal government: “Washington Hospital experienced a cumulative net revenue loss of more than $74 million during the past five years due to federal payment reforms, some of which were mandated by the Affordable Care Act.”-Christopher Brown

Florida: After 44 years Miami’s Best Pizza shutdown. The property owner pulled the rug out from under the restaurant owner’s feet, by renting the building to somebody willing to pay far more in rent.  British empire Too Big to Jail Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) shutdown their Miami private bank, 155 jobs lost!  Reports say RBC will focus on providing loans only.   In Jacksonville, after more than 20 years the Sundrez gift shop shutdown.  The owner blamed the bad economy saying it’s been “…the battle I’ve been losing for three years”.

Illinois: In Rock Falls, Comcast announced it’s shutting down its service center in October, three bill collecting jobs lost.

Indiana: Toll road operator ITR Concession revealed it will file chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The company wants to sell out, or get new debt financing to continue ops.  So, the tolls they charge aren’t enough?  How do you like that Indiana commuters?  Not only do you pay upfront for toll roads, but you pay at the pump in fuel taxes!

Kansas:  Perceptive Software announced they will kill an undisclosed number of jobs “to achieve profitable growth”.  The software company has been busy spending money taking over competing companies.  Farm equipment maker AGCO tried to blame their factory shutdown and killing of at least 111 jobs on the embargo against U.S. farm equipment by Russia, however, ag analysts say it’s really the suck-ass economy: “With depressed crop prices, farmers don’t want to spend money, and large equipment dealers like John Deere, like AGCO, are starting to see the effects, and they’re being proactive.”-John Jenkinson, The Ag Network

Maine: Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutting down their warehouse ops in Portland and Augusta, about 100 jobs affected! Pepsi says the bad economy is forcing them to consolidate operations.

Massachusetts: General Mills announced they will shutdown their Methuen yogurt factory, 144 jobs lost!  In Boston, reports that 79 years old Suffolk Downs horse racing track will shutdown at the end of 2014, due to the loss of a casino license, almost 200 jobs lost!

Mississippi: In Biloxi, after two years the Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant shutdown. Attorneys for the casino said the property owner refused to allow the building of a hotel, which was part of the original plan.  In Long Beach, Rouses Supermarket shutdown.

Montana: Sear Holdings announced the are shutting down their Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center, 65 jobs lost.  Originally the shutdown was to be in December, but was moved up to the end of November.

New York: In NYC, Media Group warned it is shutting down in October.  Paradise Media also warned it will shutdown in October, at least 55 jobs lost.  Is Obama Care behind the shutdown of Robert Mapplethorpe Residential Treatment Facility?  Administrators say they will shutdown in December, at least 33 jobs lost.  In Hamilton, Is Obama Care behind the shutdown of Community Memorial?  Nursing facility administrators warned they will shutdown in December, at least 29 jobs lost.  In Long Island, Cynergy Data warned they will shutdown in December, 42 jobs lost.

North Carolina:  Troubled charter school Concrete Roses STEM Academy shutdown without notice.  State education administrators blame what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome).  The school was taxpayer funded for 300 students, but only 126 showed up!

Ohio: Industrial bag maker Mondi Bags announced they are shutting down their New Philadelphia factory in 2015, at least 200 jobs lost!  Company administrators blame the bad economy saying “challenging economic and competitive situation has made it necessary.”

Pennsylvania:  Woodland Hills School District warned it could shutdown three elementary schools and sell off an administrative building due to what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), at least a 31% decline over the past ten years!  In West Mifflin, Sears Holdings announced it is shutting down the Sears store in December.  Taxsucking Lockheed Martin announced they will kill 58 jobs at their Newtown operations, by November.  On top of that, Lockheed Martin wants to sell off the building by the middle of 2015, meaning more than 1-thousand people could become unemployed!

South Carolina: Switzerland owned Georg Fischer Central Plastics shutdown operations at its Abbeville factory, at least 17 jobs lost.  Production being consolidated to Texas.

Tennessee: The American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee killed five jobs saying “We’re transforming the way we do business.”

Vermont: Guild Fine Meats sandwich shop shutdown.

Wisconsin: What automotive industry recovery?  In Oshkosh, taxsucking AxleTech laid off 65 people.  Company administrators blamed “a sharp decline in demand for military-grade axles and components”.

16-17 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

Sears, desperate for cash, being paid to shutdown stores! Blames U.S. dollar for bad economy!

01 December 2014 (13:53 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Safar 1436/10 Azar 1393/11 Bing-Zi 4712

Sears Canada’s 3rd quarter 2014 report showed Sears is actually being paid to shutdown stores.

Sears Canada (hand in hand with Sears Holdings) administrators have been making deals with property owners to essentially ‘buyout’ the leases on Sears stores, so they can be shutdown.  The lease buyouts, called by Sears a “Gain on lease terminations”, makes money for Sears because it’s the landlords who pay “for the right” to shutdown Sears: “Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Toronto) and Square One Shopping Centre (Mississauga). The landlords approached the Company with a proposal to enter into a series of lease amendments for a total consideration of $191.0 million, being the amount the landlords were willing to pay for the right to require the Company to vacate the two locations.

…The transaction resulted in a pre-tax gain of $185.7 million…

The Company also granted the owners of the Scarborough Town Centre (Toronto) property an option to enter into certain lease amendments in exchange for $1.0 million….”

Sears is also making money off selling off their other properties: “…the Company announced that it had reached a definitive agreement with Montez Income Properties Corporation (‘Montez’) to sell its 50% joint arrangement interest in the eight properties it owned with the Westcliff Group of Companies (‘Westcliff’) for cash consideration of approximately $315.0 million.” 

“…the Company sold its 15% joint arrangement interest in Les Galeries de Hull shopping centre (‘Hull’) that it co-owned with Ivanhoé, to Fonds de placement immobilier Cominar (‘Cominar’) for total proceeds of $10.5 million…”

“…the Company sold its 20% joint arrangement interest in Kildonan Place Shopping Centre (‘Kildonan’) that it co-owned with Ivanhoé, to H&R Real Estate Investment Trust for total proceeds of $27.7 million…”

“…the Company sold its 15% joint arrangement interest in Les Rivières Shopping Centre that it co-owned with Ivanhoé Cambridge II Inc. (‘Ivanhoé’) for total proceeds of $33.5 million…”

Sears Canada also warned that “…the Company determined that the Montreal distribution centre (‘MDC’) may be considered for disposition.”  That means it’s going to be sold off.

Also, “…Broad Street Logistics Centre located in Regina (”Broad Street”). Broad Street, including the adjacent vacant property which is owned by the Company, is being marketed for sale…”

Despite selling off half a dozen properties, Sears Canada also revealed it was building new Sear stores: “…the Company announced that it entered into a binding agreement with Concord Pacific Group of Companies (‘Concord’) to pursue the development of the 12-acre Sears site located at the North Hill Shopping Centre in Calgary, Alberta (the ‘North Hill Project’).”

“…the Company announced that it entered into a binding agreement with Concord to pursue the development of nine acres of the Company’s property on and adjacent to the Company’s store located at the Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, British Columbia (the ‘Burnaby Project’).”

Sears Canada also blamed the almighty U.S. dollar for part of its problems: “The Company enters into foreign exchange contracts to reduce the foreign exchange risk with respect to U.S. dollar denominated assets and liabilities and purchases of goods or services.”

In the United States, Sears Holdings announced it will reveal its Third Quarter 2014 results during the morning of 04 December.

Sears & Kmart closing update, 22 November 2014

China blames USD for bad economy!

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis, November 2014: “We’re breaking up our family!” No more Wendy’s, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Hormel or Dinty Moore? “It’s hard to see what this is…it’s hard to fail.” Buying local kills off Mom-n-Pop!

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of November, 2014: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production.

After announcing plans in April to expand ops in Canada, Minnesota U.S.A. based food processor Cargill actually expanded their job killing!  Cargill sold off a Winnipeg feed mill and shutdown a Manitoba mill, as well as shutdown a Manitoba granary.  News reports gave various reasons from saying  the mills needed upgrades that were too  expensive to pay for, to Cargill needing to become more efficient in the Canadian livestock feed industry.   No details reported on how many jobs will be lost.

Arizona: In Tempe, after almost 60 years restaurant Monti’s La Casa Vieja shutdown.  The owner blamed increasing operating costs.

California: In Lodi, food processor General Mills warned they will render 410 people jobless by January 2015!  Dublin based hamburger joint Wendy’s announced it is killing an undisclosed number of HQ jobs (rumored to be in the hundreds) by December, and said that it will continue with its massive store selloffs into 2015!  Wendy’s has been selling off its stores to franchise holders.   Company administrators say they need to cut at least $30-million USD going into 2015!  It’s not due to crashing sales (not yet anyway) but mainly because of skyrocketing beef prices (Wendy’s actually uses 100% beef, unlike McDonald’s)!  The supply of cow meat is dwindling due to the decades old drought in the western half of the U.S., and not only is Wendy’s competing with people shopping for beef in grocery stores, but with other burger and steak restaurants as well.  In Stockton, food processor Hormel announced they will shutdown their 65 years old chili and Dinty Moore beef stew factory in February 2015, at least 110 jobs lost! Company administrators blame the record level prices of beef for causing a 21% drop in profits!   In Auburn, after 38 years Lou La Bonite’s restaurant shutdown.   San Diego based Pizzeria Mozza shutdown their new Seaport District restaurant, and canceled all upcoming pizza making classes: “Sadly, the gospel of Mozza pizza did not adequately spread to the people of San Diego. We regret that we will not be able to continue to serve the community there…”-company statement

Florida: After 33 years Ruben’s Cuban Restaurant being shutdown by the landlord.  The landlord claims it’s only for remodeling, but long time customers are so upset that the local news media demanded confirmation from the landlord that the restaurant will be reopening soon.  Orlando based Darden Restaurants killed 85 jobs (60 filled, 25 vacant positions) at its HQ.  Darden operates Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse.  Company administrators say the skyrocketing price of food (like beef) is forcing them to cut $20-million from their 2014-15 budget!   After barely 12 years the Sea Breeze Winery announced they’re shutting down in December.  The owner says she’ll continue to sell grapes to other wineries.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, the operators of a 59 years old Foodland grocery store announced they are shutting down in December.  Real estate analysts say local Hawaiian business are being killed by ‘big box’ stores and property speculators from mainland U.S.A., and Foodland customers agree: “…it’s all the construction and they’re bringing in all the mainland retailers, so it’s kind of sad…”-Eulie Villegas, loyal Foodland shopper

Illinois: In Roscoe Village, after 17 years the owners of the Hungry Brain said they will shutdown in December.  Reports imply it’s part of a trend of many local joints being shutdown by greedy landlords who want more rent money.

Iowa: After 83 years Dahl’s Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The bankruptcy will make it easier for the iconic food company to be sold off to a competitor (Associated Wholesale Grocers), 950 employees affected!

Kansas: In Kansas City, after 50 years Quick’s Bar-B-Q shutdown.  The owner says road construction is killing off mom-n-pops: “…I want to get out on my terms and while things are good.  It is hard and these little mom-and-pop folks, you see them dropping.”-Ron Quick

Kentucky: In Louisville, after 33 years Gavi’s Restaurant shutdown.  In Ashland, after only two years the Lamp Post Cafe shutdown with little notice, the lease was not renewed at the last moment, the owners blame the bad economy: “We’re two years into it and it is a tough economy. While we’ve certainly been moving forward, we are a victim of the economy. We found ourselves with our backs against the wall….Our first winter, the electric bill just about killed us…”-Shane Fields

Massachusetts: Maine based Hannaford Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Ayer grocery store in February 2015, at least 87 jobs lost.  Company administrators said they will not renew the lease and admitted the bad economy cannot support all the grocery stores they have.

Michigan: In Liberty Township, more than four decades old Yukon Jack Food & Spirits restaurant shutdown.  Before it was a restaurant (starting in 1970) it was a grocery store.  Local news media said the owners refused to talk.  In Lansing, a restaurant whose purpose was to serve locals with products bought locally has failed.  The Fork in the Road restaurant shutdown, the owners admitting they didn’t realize how expensive it was to keep 100% of their business local.  Despite having lots of customers, buying food and supplies locally was killing them financially: “There’s a lot of compromises that we could have made but we’re just not willing to do that. That’s not why we started. We need to have a business plan to keep staying true to those principles. To compromise those principles, that would be failing.”-Jesse Hahn, who added that he was faced with two choices; shutdown or cut employee wages, raise prices and buy from outside sources

Missouri: In Springfield, Kroger announced it will shutdown four  Dillons grocery stores in January 2015, supposedly they’re being sold off to competitor Price Cutter (an employee owned op like WinCo).  However, administrators with Price Cutter were actually upset at the news and said they never made Kroger an offer to buy the Dillons stores, in fact it was Kroger who came begging to Price Cutter.  Price Cutter agreed to a lease, not an outright purchase: “Dillions announcement to exit all four Springfield locations in January, 2015 is disappointing news….Dillions approached us of their intent to vacate the Springfield market….Price Cutter has entered into a real estate agreement to lease all four of the Dillions locations.”-Erick Taylor, Price Cutter president

New Jersey: In Egg Harbor City, Renault Winery Resort and Golf now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The administrators say they are fighting for the life of the iconic winery: “We have been here for 150 years, and our plan will ensure us being here long into the future. We’re not looking to sell the place. We’re looking to continue the legacy here.”-Dennis Del Vecchio

New York: In NYC, after 15 years Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks shutdown because the greedy landlord jacked up the rent.  After only a year neighborhood grocery store Delancey Market shutdown.  In Geneva, after months of rumors 54 years old Madia’s Big M grocery store shutdown.  The Madia family basically said it wasn’t worth it operating a grocery store anymore and will focus on their other business ops.  In Brooklyn, after only a year the owner of Marco’s restaurant announced it will shutdown in December. The owner says the profits weren’t high enough to cover operating costs.

North Carolina: Salisbury based the Bottom Dollar Food chain store was sold off and all 66 stores are being shutdown, 2-thousand 2-hundred jobs lost across the country by the end of December!

Ohio: In Springboro, a 56 years old IGA grocery store shutdown.  The owner blames competition from ‘big box’ stores: “We’ve got third, fourth generation shoppers. I’ve seen the kids in their baby carriers, to them bringing in their own kids. It’s hard to see what this is, when you watch your inventory dwindle down trying to make excuses to the customers is just, it’s hard to fail.”-Doug Preston

In Mansfield, after 47 years Grantie’s Grinders (sub style sandwiches) shutdown, 11 jobs lost.  The owners blame competition from a ‘big box’ sandwich shop that recently moved into the neighborhood.   All 14 Ohio Friendly’s Restaurants shutdown!  The francisee blamed the bad economy: “These closings are regrettable, however continuing operation was no longer viable.”-Apex Eagle Hospitality

Pennsylvania: In Pittsburgh, after only two years Station Street Hot Dogs shutdown.  The owners decided not to renew their lease, claiming other projects were getting in the way.  Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutdown yet another distribution center, this time in West Goshen.  60 employees are being forced to move, if they want to stay employed, while at least six employees were rendered unemployed.    (while I hate Pepsi for expressing anti-2nd Amendment opinions I love their Pepsi “Throwback”, made like the original with none of that corn syrup and chemical crap)

South Carolina: In Conway, after six years the Eggs Up Grill shutdown, 20 jobs lost.   The owners said they’re being evicted due to not being able to pay their bills.  Co-owner Christine Bonar says “There’s no value to put on what we’re losing financially. It will be the value of the friendships that we’ve made and the staff that we worked with. We’re all breaking up. We’re breaking up our family!”  Manager Jeanne Sudowski is worried about the employees: “Obviously losing your job right before Thanksgiving and Christmas time is very rough…..some of them I don’t know if they can collect unemployment because they’ve only been here since July.”

Tennessee: In West Knoxville Sonny’s BBQ shutdown.  In Chattanooga, the owners of SturmHaus Beer Market announced it will shutdown in December, blaming the bad economy: “Craft beer share is not enough to sustain our vision for a quaint, downtown on-premise, off-premise gathering place.”

Texas: In Houston,  Hollywood Vietnamese & Chinese Cuisine shutdown.  El Tiempo Cantina also being shutdown.  Evil city officials approved the seizing of the property so greedy property developers can build a massive apartment complex on Montrose Avenue!  In College Station, after 14 years La Bodega taco bar shutdown.  The owner said they had to vacate the old decrepit building, and hopes to find a new location.

Vermont: In Rutland, owners of Sal’s Downtown Restaurant announced they will shutdown in December.  Apparently the landlord refused to renew the lease.

Washington: In Seattle, the owners of Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar announced they will shutdown in January 2015.  Apparently the owners and the landlord don’t get along.  After 63 years A&J Meats and Seafood shutdown.

Wisconsin: In Appleton and Green Bay, after more than ten years Goodwill Industries shutdown their popular Harmony Café.  Although it was popular Goodwill administrators say the two restaurants were actually losing money: “The restaurant side got away from us. We kept subsidizing them hoping we would finally create a plan that would be competitive.”-Bob Pedersen, president & CEO

U.S. Food Crisis, October 2014

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 16 – 17 September 2014: “You cannot lie to your employees.” The Cloud already killing jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It’s been revealed that the draconian cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) will affect only four U.S. states: Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire.  The rest of the states say they will use their own taxpayer’s money to make up for the federal cuts.  The cuts come at a time when there are record numbers of people needing food help.  The cuts were passed by Congress and signed by the Obama regime. And administrators of SNAP say across the U.S. ‘white’ people are getting the most help for buying food (43%).

Arkansas: Obama Care forced now vacant county owned Crittenden Regional Hospital into chapter 7 bankruptcy (which usually means it’s ‘toast’).  More than 400 healthcare workers lost their jobs!   The draconian insurance reimbursements cuts imposed by Obama Care means the county hospital cannot pay off nearly $7-million USD  in bonds, however, city and even federal government administrators are suing, accusing the county hospital board of essentially taking the bond money because bookkeeping can’t seam to account for it.

California: Microsoft announced it will layoff 160 Microsoft Mobile Oy employees in November as part of a 2nd round of massive international job killing (see Washington below)!  In San Francisco, hotel Marriott Marquis announced a temporary layoff of at least 22 employees in November.  In Campbell, cloud service Hightail (formerly YouSendIt) laid off 74 employees without notice.

Florida: In Pembroke Park, Mitt Romney’s wunderkind Staples announced it will shutdown a delivery operation in November, killing off 68 jobs.

Georgia: After 60 years the iconic Zesto Drive-In restaurant shutdown, the family owners say they were forced to sell by greedy property developers.

Illinois: In Saint Charles, a Savers thrift store shutdown.  In Lake Zurich, a Savers thrift store shutdown.  News reports said Savers administrators refused to explain why.  The Illinois Policy Institute reports that the number of Prairie Staters whose incomes have crashed, and therefore should qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), has hit 745-thousand.  The institute says for every one person who loses a job at least two people go begging to the government for food.  Chicago based United Airlines is now offering bribes (buyouts) to any flight attendant who quits.  Airline administrators want at least 21-hundred flight attendants to voluntarily quit!

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone service provider Sprint warned of massive layoffs: “Some managers will make it and some won’t. I told some managers that some are going to be gone…..You cannot lie to your employees.”-Marcelo Claure, CEO

Kentucky: In North Lexington, the YMCA announced they will shutdown their child development center in October, blaming declining enrollment.  In Morehead, after 61 years Perk’s plumbing supply shutdown.

Maryland: What housing market recovery?  In Rockville, RoundPoint Mortgage announced it will kill off 68 mortgage jobs.  Taxsucking military contractor General Dynamics announced it will kill off 61 jobs in October.

Michigan: In Sterling Heights, a 246 room Best Western motel will be auctioned off in October.   News reports say the motel is still operating.  The motel is owned by evil vulture capital investors who want to dump it.  An undisclosed number of bus drivers lost their jobs when Lakeview School District drastically reduced bus service.  District administrators blame DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome).

Minnesota: Minneapolis based food giant General Mills revealed its profits for its fiscal 1st quarter crashed 25%!  They will continue with job killing.

Missouri: In Ladue, after nearly 70 years Spicer’s toy and candy store shutdown, they couldn’t afford the new lease.  What housing market recovery?  In Saint Louis, Concrete Coring now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Attorneys for the company blame the bad economy saying the company “…has been unable so far to work out from under its debt generated following the faltering economy in late 2008 and into 2009 and beyond.” 

New Hampshire: In Merrimack, reports that after 11 years Swan Chocolates reduced their cafe hours to the public. The owners said they needed to get back to creating new eats, and they can’t do that while running a full time retail eatery.

New York: After 62 years the owners of Hoffman’s Playland amusement park announced they are shutting down, and redeveloping the property.  In NYC, Williams Lea Corporate Information Solutions warned it will shutdown by the end of September, a least 41 jobs lost. In Jamaica (at the JFK airport), LSG Sky Chefs warned it will shutdown by January 2015, at least 139 jobs lost and 200 jobs to be transfered!   In Suffern, Switzerland based evil legal drugs pusher Novartis warned they will be shutting down between December 2014 and sometime in 2015, at least 83 jobs lost.

North Carolina: In High Point, La-Z-Boy announced they are shutting down their Lea Industries kids furniture factory by the end of 2014, at least 100 jobs lost!  UNC Health Care reports that Obama Care has lost them $4-million in revenue!  They are now $8-million behind on their budget!  UNC Health Care administrators say they are still owed $15-million from the state and federal governments!

Ohio: In Urbana, God refused to stop the British empire’s Christian Salvation Army from shutting down their thrift store.  Administrators at the HQ in Cincinnati said their thrift store will shutdown in November, and they told their local Urbana administrators the issue is not open for discussion.

Oregon: The child prison camp known as Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility might be shutdown, due to crashing numbers of child inmates (but isn’t that good news?).

Pennsylvania: California University is blaming DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome) for eliminating 30 jobs.  The university lost 3.2% of its student body at the beginning of the new school year.

South Carolina: In Columbia, the Belk store shutdown in the Dutch Square mall.

Tennessee: Massive food producer Cargill announced they’re shutting down a Memphis corn mill in January 2015, 440 jobs lost! Cargill A-holes, I mean administrators claim the mill is “underutilized”.

Texas: Comcast SportsNet Houston could laid off 75 employees, if a judge approves their sale to DirecTV and AT&T.   The 75 employees make up almost three quarters of the staff.  In Houston, oil industry company HighMount Exploration & Production warned it is shutting down and will kill off at least 35 jobs by November.  Austin based pawn shop chain store EZCorp revealed it will kill off an undisclosed number of jobs.  Company administrators say they must “right size” their pawn operations due to the bad economy.  They currently employ more than 7-thousand people across the U.S.

Virginia: In Richmond, after 38 years Buddy’s Place announced it will shutdown in January 2015. The owner blames the greedy landlord for demanding more rent.

Washington: Reports say Redmond based Microsoft will begin a 2nd round of layoffs.  The computer company already killed off 13-thousand jobs in its 1st round of layoffs!  Reports say most of the 2nd round of job killing will directly affect employees of Nokia, which Microsoft took over in April.  Nokia is now called Microsoft Mobile Oy.  In Yakima, after 29 years Off the Record record and CD store shutdown.

13-15 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.